Rockies second baseman Josh Rutledge hurt his left ankle turning a double play, leaving him out of the lineup. (John Leyba, The Denver Post)

Injuries continue to be an issue in Rockies’ camp. On the same day that Jhoulys Chacin made progress, Jordan Pacheco (left shoulder inflammation), Josh Rutledge (ankle) and Justin Morneau (stiff neck) were sidelined.

Chacin threw a small medicine ball Monday and believes he will begin playing catch in 2-to-3 days. He has been shut down since last Sunday because of shoulder inflammation, and is unlikely to break camp with the team. Pacheco, the leader for the backup catching job, aggravated his shoulder during batting practice. It has been bothering him for a few days, and manager Walt Weiss decided to exercise caution. Pacheco underwent an MRI on Monday afternoon. It is not believed to be serious, but more will be known on Tuesday.

Colorado Rockies pitcher Jhoulys Chacin will begin throwing this week for this first time since his shoulder injury. (Denver Post file).

SCOTTSDALE — Jhoulys Chacin continues to make progress with his shoulder injury, and plans to begin playing catch in “2-3 days,” he told The Post on Monday. He hasn’t thrown in nine days, but is pleased with how his shoulder feels following rest and stretching exercises.

Lefty Boone logan was a fixture in the Yankees’ bullpen for four seasons. Now he’s waiting for his elbow to heal so he can help the Rockies.

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. — Here are some Saturday morning notes of note while we wait to see if there will be a game played today at Goodyear between the Rockies and the Reds. It rained hard this morning but the rain has since tapered off. The game is scheduled for 1:05 p.m.

“I have a history of eosinophilic esophagitis, which is basically a reaction where sometimes food gets hung in the back of your esophagus and it causes a reaction,” he said Friday. “It’s not really choking, but you have trouble swallowing. Usually whenever I get it, it lasts a matter of minutes and it clears and goes away.”

The incident was more serious this time and he had to go to the hospital Wednesday night for treatment.

Jhoulys Chacin will undergo an MRI today. He thinks it is biceps tendonitis, which would only sideline him a few weeks. (Associated Press)

Jhoulys Chacin pulled on his cap and quickly headed out of the clubhouse for an MRI on Monday. He remained hopeful that he is suffering from biceps tendonitis, which would shut him down for a few weeks, and likely lead to just a few missed starts early in the regular season.

“I have had this before. That’s what I think it is,” Chacin said.

Chacin, 26, has not pitched off a mound this spring, which has left him roughly two weeks behind pitchers who were instructed to throw two-to-three side sessions before arriving in Scottsdale. Pitching coach Jim Wright wouldn’t permit Chacin to do anything but play catch as a precaution.

Chacin pointed to his biceps on Monday, explaining that’s where he felt the soreness and tightness. The best-scare scenario is that the MRI reveals a strain as the cause of the inflammation and discomfort.

“I don’t think it’s too serious with the way he has talked to me about it. He needs to get it taken care of be ready for the season,” said Jorge De La Rosa, who is the leading candidate to start on opening day. “If we lose him for one or two games early, we will be OK. We need him. We have to make sure he’s ready so he can help us for the season.”

If there’s any consolation, it’s that the injury was caught early, providing help from the calendar. There’s also been encouraging performances from Brett Anderson, who was acquired over the winter for Drew Pomeranz. Anderson has shown no issues with his foot injury, and appears poised to rebound.

“I don’t even have to move my glove when I catch him,” said catcher Mike McKenry.

Ellis Burks, Pedro Astacio in camp: Ellis Burks jogged down the stairs into a team meeting. He’s the latest ex-Rockie to attend spring training as a guest instructor. Manager Walt Weiss has encouraged their involvement. Burks is planning on moving to Denver, and is hopeful he can secure a more permanent role with the club down the road. Former pitcher Pedro Astacio is also in camp for the second straight season.

It won’t be long before the Rockies begin spring training. Pitchers and catchers report to Salt River Fields on Feb. 15. Bench coach Tom Runnells will be among those throwing BP to the pitchers and position players, who report on Feb. 21 with their first workout on Feb. 23. (Photo By John Leyba/The Denver Post)

The Rockies are in a different position this winter. Most of their offseason goals have been addressed, leaving them seeking depth on low-risk deals over the next six weeks.

To that end, right-hander Richard Castillo has agreed in principle on a minor-league deal with a contract likely official soon. Castillo, 5-foot-11, 165 pounds, is a former Cardinals prospect. The 24-year-old went 7-9 with 4.59 ERA in 21 starts for Double-A Springfield last season, and 1-2 with a 1.93 ERA with Triple-A Memphis, both Cardinals’ farm teams.

He’s expected to provide depth in spring training and at Triple-A. The Rockies’ first four rotation spots appear set — Jorge De La Rosa, Jhoulys Chacin, Brett Anderson, Tyler Chatwood — with Juan Nicasio, Franklin Morales and Jordan Lyles vying for the final slot.

Lefty Jorge De La Rosa will look to anchor the Rockies’ rotation in 2014 after the club, as expected, picked up his contract option. (Chris Schneider, The Associated Press)

What owner Dick Monfort said in August came to fruition on Tuesday. The Rockies, in the easiest decision of the offseason, exercised Jorge De La Rosa’s $11-million club option for next season. The club is expected to talk with him this winter about a contract extension.

Jhoulys Chacin can appreciate history. The Rockies have had plenty of pitchers who can swing the bat. But those who hit home runs is a fairly select group, all things considered. Mike Hampton was the most prolific. Jason Hammel ended the pitchers’ drought with a shot in Milwaukee a few years back (The players put a spoof ball in his locker, congratulating Cole Hamels for his home run and World Series performance). Kevin Millwood delivered some shots. And Alex White was the last to pull it off last September in San Diego.

Rockies starting pitcher Jhoulys Chacin is congratulated by teammates at the top of the dugout after finishing the seventh inning against the San Francisco Giants Wednesday night at Coors Field. (Justin Edmonds, Getty Images)

Greetings from Coors Field where I just witnessed one of the more entertaining games — and postgames — I’ve experienced in quite a while.

I really thought Jhoulys Chacin was going to pitch a no-hitter. I really did. He was that good, and even the single that Brandon Crawford lined to center field with two outs in the seventh wasn’t hit that hard.

Newspaper deadlines, being what they are, even in the digital age, didn’t allow me to get a lot of this in my game story. So here are some late-night quotes, notes and details from the Rockies’ 5-4 victory over the Giants Wednesday night at Coors Field:

Rockies center fielder Dexter Fowler slides safely into third for a triple. Fowler is currently out of action with an injured left knee. (Morry Gash, The Associated Press)

Rockies manager Walt Weiss was more like Dr. Weiss Wednesday as he fielded questions about the health of his ballclub.

Here’s a rundown of the status of a number of players.

* Center fielder Dexter Fowler’s left knee is still sore and he’s walking with a slight limp. Fowler, who is scheduled to undergo and MRI Wednesday, said: “I’m really not sure what’s going on.”

His injury has been described as a bruise, but Fowler said he twisted the knee when he was thrown out trying to steal second base in the first inning of Monday’s game against Giants.

Weiss said he expects Fowler to be out for “at least a few more days.” Weiss admitted that if weren’t for the September minor-league call-ups will join the team next week that Fowler would be a candidate for the disabled list.

Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Jhoulys Chacin, shown here in a file photo, could reach 200 innings for the first time in his career. He outpitched the Padres’ Edinson Volquez as the Rockies won their fourth-straight game. (Chris Schneider, The Associated Press)

The Rockies have done things to Edinson Volquez at Coors Field you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy. He’s worked 12 2/3 innings on Blake Street this season, allowing 29 hits and 21 earned runs. He has a career 8.39 ERA in Denver.

A sore right hand that’s been slow to heal has left Rockies center fielder Dexter Fowler frustrated. (Jeff Chiu, The Associated Press)

Is Dexter Fowler headed to the disabled list? It’s a looming possibility.

The center fielder, battling through a right-hand injury that makes it painful for him to grip a bat, was initially in the starting lineup for the Giants-Rockies game on Friday night. But he was a last-minute scratch and now a stint on the DL could be in the offing.

“He took is BP and it was still bugging him. It was hurting to swing the bat,” manager Walt Weiss said late Friday night after the Rockies beat the Giants 4-1. “So we kept him out of there and we’ll keep our eye on him. We will check him out for the next day or two and go from there. But it’s still bugging him pretty good.”

Fowler last played on Tuesday in Boston, going 0-for-4. If he were to go on the DL, the move would be retroactive to Wednesday, meaning he wouldn’t be eligible to return until July 12 when the Rockies play the Dodgers in Los Angeles before the All-Star Game.

Jhoulys Chacin felt horrible. You could see it in his eyes and hear it as he talked — between sniffles.

But give the big right-hander credit. He battled through his summer bug and gave the Rockies’ five gutsy innings against the Nationals Tuesday night. As a reward, Chacin recorded his first victory since April 19.

“The last two days I haven’t been feeling good,” Chacin said after the Rockies’ 8-3 victory. “Today, in the beginning, I wasn’t feeling good. I had a lot of runners on base and was throwing a lot of pitches. But then after that I said, ‘You have to give it all you’ve got and just keep battling. … It felt nice to win a game again.’ ”

Chacin allowed two runs on seven hits in his five innings. He walked two and struck out two. Because he struggled early in the game, his pitch count was high: 95 pitches, 61 strikes.

Dexter Fowler is out of hte lineup for a second straight game with a migraine and illness. (The Associated Press)

Eric Young Jr., who is still looking to gain traction this season, occupies the leadoff spot for the second straight game. Dexter Fowler is out for a second consecutive game with a migraine headache and flu-like symptoms. He wasn’t in the clubhouse during media availability, an indication of how poorly he felt.

Tyler Chatwood, out with a right triceps injury, was scheduled to play catch Thursday with head trainer Keith Dugger. If he makes progress, the plan is to only skip Saturday’s start and not place him on the disabled list. Jeff Francis is the leading candidate to take his spot this weekend, which could be an easy roster move since the Rockies can just option out one of the extra relievers they are currently carrying. The issue would be later when Chatwood is ready since there’s been no indication that Francis would be used out of the bullpen.

After right-hander Tyler Chatwood’s impressive start in Los Angeles last week, and with Jhoulys Chacin coming back off the disabled list to start Sunday’s game against the Rays, the Rockies were faced with a tough decision.

Did the Rockies keep Chatwood on the big-league roster and send Juan Nicasio down to Triple-A? Did they make a roster move with veteran lefty Jeff Francis, who’s struggled so far this season?

In the end, the Rockies decided to keep their rotation intact, sending Chatwood back down to Triple-A Colorado Springs and sticking with Nicasio and Francis.

DENVER — Todd Helton is driving his teammates nuts on the bench. He even took to sweeping the dugout in Arizona to pass the time. Yeah, he’s ready to return to the roster. He continued making progress Wednesday, taking batting practice on the field.

Without any setbacks, he will be activated Sunday along with pitcher Jhoulys Chacin.

“Todd is too old to go out on a rehab assignment,” said manager Walt Weiss.

The Rockies have faced a string of left-handers so Helton would have sat in some of those games anyway.
Chacin, out with back spasms, will join the Rockies Friday and return to the rotation Sunday in the series finale against the Rays.

Troy Tulowitzki is back after missing the previous two-plus games with a strained left shoulder cuff. Once he was able to show he could finish his swing, he was cleared to go.

The Rockies also acquired outfielder Jose Monzon, an organization filler, as the player to be named later in the Wilton Lopez-Alex White deal in December. White has been sidelined by an elbow problem. Lopez, after a poor start, has pitched better of late with three straight scoreless outings. Monzon will report to extended spring training.

LOS ANGELES — The last time that Nolan Arenado and Tyler Chatwood played together at Dodger Stadium, a high school state title hung in the balance. Arenado’s El Toro club topped Chatwood’s Redlands East squad 7-0 in 2008.

Five years later, they combined forces to demolish the Dodgers on Monday night, starring in a 12-2 victory.

Arenado collected three hits, including his first home run. He received the ball from that hit and will give it to his parents Fernando and Millie. It was a goose-bumps evening for the rookie, who had 60 friends and family in attendance. They were all waiting as he boarded the boss 45 minutes after the game, giving him a rousing ovation.Read more…

PHOENIX — Jhoulys Chacin didn’t want to go on the disabled list. He’s showing why. His back spasms have quickly healed, leaving him on track to return to the rotation on May 5. Chacin threw a side session Saturday at Chase Field, experiencing no issues on 40 pitches.

“He looked really good,” said pitching coach Jim Wright.

Chacin felt a sharp pain in his side eight days ago, and exited with fear that he had strained his left oblique. That would have sidelined him several weeks. A MRI left him diagnosed with back spasms, something he experienced in spring training. Chacin had hoped to remain on the active roster, but the Rockies placed him on the DL as a precaution.

Chacin is 3-0 with a 1.46 ERA. Tyler Chatwood replaced him in the rotation.

Todd Helton’s strained left forearm is still painful and a little bit swollen, but the Rockies’ first baseman said he would like to try and play in the second game of Tuesday’s doubleheader. His manager, however, has other ideas, particularly given the cold weather. And there remains the possibility that Helton will go on the disabled list.

“It’s the old day-to-day thing with Todd,” Weiss said Tuesday morning before Game 1 against the Braves. “Yesterday he was still pretty sore. We will go game-to-game with him. He’s going to have a hard time talking his way into the lineup tonight, I would imagine. He’s going to have to change my mind.”

Todd Helton is not in the Rockies’ lineup Sunday against the Diamondbacks and he doubts he’ll play on Monday either. A strained left forearm is keeping him on the bench and he’s wearing a light brace on the arm. He missed Saturday night’s game as well.

“It’s pretty sore right now, but I think it’s going to be all right,” Helton said Sunday morning.

Helton said he thinks he suffered the injury on a swing Tuesday against the Mets in the first game of a doubleheader.

Jhoulys Chacin underwent an MRI on Saturday morning to determine what’s wrong with his stiff left oblique muscle. If there’s any kind of strain or tear, Chacin will land on the disabled list since the external muscle in the abdomen undergoes torque when a pitcher throws. Chacin has been the ace of the Rockies’ staff in every way during the Rockies’ surprising 12-4 start.

He’s expected to learn the results early this afternoon.

Chacin improved to 3-0 with a 1.46 ERA after beating the Diamondback at Coors Field on Friday night. He felt pain on his 99th pitch and then came out on his 100th pitch, cringing as he tried to throw. He became the first Rockies starter to reach 100 pitches since June 12, a streak spanning 117 games, the longest in the majors since STATS began logging it in 1988.

If he goes on the disabled list, Drew Pomeranz would be a candidate to replace him in the rotation. The left-hander, who failed to make the team after Jon Garland was signed, has pitched well for Triple-A Colorado Springs. However, a starter isn’t needed until Wednesday so the Rockies have many options if they need to fill a roster spot. They could promote a position player — outfielder Tyler Colvin could add pop off the bench — or add another bullpen arm for the homestand before a move for a starter is necessary.

Chris Volstad was being considered for a spot start if the team had played a doubleheader Thursday but he was demoted to the minors Friday in favor of Josh Outman since the Diamondbacks feature several left-handed hitters.

Chacin won on opening day over the Brewers, setting the tone for the entire pitching staff.

“It’s getting tired hearing that we aren’t any good. Really tired,” Chacin said recently. “We know we are a lot better than we showed last year.”

Chacin missed nearly four months last year with a strained right pectoral muscle. But his dilligence in rehab and a strong finish to the season prompted the Rockies to sign him to a two-year, $6.5-million deal prior to spring training, shaving away the bulk of his arbitration years.

Patrick, a third-generation Colorado native, is back for his second stint covering the Rockies. He first covered the team from 2005-2009, helping chronicle “Rocktober” in 2007 and also following the team’s playoff run in 2009.

Nick Groke has worked at The Denver Post since 1997, as a sports reporter, city reporter, entertainment writer and digital editor and producer, among other newsroom posts. He also writes regularly about boxing, soccer, MMA and NASCAR.